Pop Culture Happy Hour One Battle After Another And What's Making Us Happy
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Sep 26, 2025 Monica Castillo, a freelance film critic and programmer, dives into the action-thriller 'One Battle After Another.' She shares insights on Leonardo DiCaprio's role as a washed-up revolutionary and discusses Sean Penn's portrayal of a racist antagonist. Monica highlights the film's sharp visual style and urgent pacing, particularly praising a riveting IMAX car chase. The conversation also explores themes of activist fatigue and the complexities of revolutionary leadership, alongside lighter moments about their current happy finds, including Bad Bunny's livestream.
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PTA Reinvents Himself In Thrilling Mode
- Paul Thomas Anderson successfully shifts into action-thriller mode while keeping his signature visual precision and tonal playfulness.
- The film ridicules contemporary white supremacy without becoming purely didactic, making the politics feel immediate and entertaining.
Giving Systemic Evil A Face
- The movie uses a specific white supremacist secret society to personify systemic oppression in a way audiences can confront.
- Localizing the antagonist lets the film turn broad systemic issues into a focused, punchable dramatic conflict.
Penn’s Unrecognizable, Menacing Turn
- Monica Castillo recounts being surprised by Sean Penn's frightening, unrecognizable performance as Colonel Lockjaw.
- She praised the film's visual craft and called the sequence work, like the car chase, eye-popping and inspiring.
